


Careful Domesticity

by Ketlingr



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Coffee, Depression, Fluff, Hugging, M/M, Mornings, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-25
Updated: 2016-09-25
Packaged: 2018-08-17 03:41:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8129105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ketlingr/pseuds/Ketlingr
Summary: Just some fluffy randomness, because it was important to have some tonight.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rose_de_Noire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rose_de_Noire/gifts).



> As per usual, people who are very easily triggered, see end notes before reading, please, just to be sure.

There was nothing. Not the faint scent of coffee beans that just moments ago had been so pleasantly present on his mind. Not the flickering light of the fireplace, nor the heat of the flames. Not even the shimmering of the rain drops his eyes were tracking down against the darkness beyond the window pane. Severus did not see the shadow approaching, did not hear the steps, and it would be a while until he would feel the warmth of the blanket and the arms that wrapped around him from behind. Even longer until he would recognise the unmistakable smell of Harry – just Harry, no perfume, no room, no coffee – lull him into safety and comfort and away from his thoughts. But Harry knew it was worth the wait, and so he watched the rain with Severus until the darkness beyond the window pane became a little less present, a little less threatening. 

Coffee was the first thing Harry tended to every morning. Severus was barely able to look past his own nose without it. The first thing the older man took care of was reaching for the pair of glasses on the nightstand. Harry was barely able to even find his own nose without it, much less look past it. Him not wearing them also did not do the coffee any good, either. While Severus woke up over his steaming mug, Harry was content to just smell the dark liquid from afar. The taste of it was not much to his liking, but he could bathe in the scent. It was like fresh laundry, old books and that gorgeous half-awake man – although, arguably, the latter tasted the best by far. 

Severus in turn watches Harry step out of his night clothes over the porcelain rim. While coffee is likely the only thing that young man can brew, Severus contemplates, he certainly makes a good job of it. It is hard to say what is more invigorating in the morning – the coffee or the sight of pale sunlight on Harry’s skin. And of course Harry knows Severus is watching, it is obvious in the way he turns his body to just the right angle, stretches himself just a little more. What Harry does not know is that Severus sees these things when he is not doing them on purpose, too. The way he reaches out with his whole body to catch that good feeling, like a yawning cat. Severus sees when Harry rubs his own neck after a long time sitting down to write his reports, or when Harry stretches to tease Shadow with the tip of his toes without bothering to get up. Watching him like this, out in the open, casually undressing, makes Severus drag him right back onto the covers and touch him with more than just his eyes. 

Before either of them is past the morning haze, they are chasing a shadow. Both in little more than boxer briefs – Harry at least got far enough into dressing to wear a sock on his left foot – they are scrambling, crawling under chairs, cursing and swearing. It’s not without a couple of stubbed toes and Severus hitting his head under the kitchen table that finally, with a yowl, Shadow is caught. Complaining loudly, he lets Harry wrestle the tiny owl from in-between his teeth. Of course the little one is fine, Shadow would never actually hurt anything – not even the spiders he’s supposed to hunt – but the little guy surely looks dishevelled. Putting his fur back in order once Harry sat him down on a chair, Shadow watches with barely hidden amusement as the two wizards assess the chaos their early morning chase has made of their small apartment. 

Ginny’s letter is full of warmth, much like Severus behind Harry, peeking over his shoulder to read it with him. Despite his past insecurities, Harry has made Severus enjoy meeting up with their – by now – mutual friends. They meet for dinner, to talk and catch up, and it can feel so easy, like gust of wind carrying leaves down the sidewalk. But some days Severus is glued to the ground and there is rain and the cars drive a little too close to the edge and the wind is a too strong. Sometimes he sends Harry to go alone on those days, and sometimes Harry stays home and watches the rain with him and wraps him in a blanket and his arms and waits until the wind is a little less strong.

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger-warning: There's nothing really graphic in the story, but just to be sure: there's somewhat of a description of depression / depressed mindset in the story. It's rather brief, and it gets resolved, but I'd rather mention it than have anyone feel bad. 
> 
> I might add or just generally write more things like this? The format comes easier to me at the moment than a proper story format. It's like writing several little one-shots, it's like a prose-poem. If any of you have things they'd like to read about, let me know. Either way, I hope you enjoyed this :)


End file.
